Friday September 20th.

Santa Ponsa from the cockpit

We spent the last four days of the 2013 cruise at anchor in Santa Ponsa.  This is one of our favorite places and only two hours from Palma by sea, 15 minutes by car! The bay is delightful with shallow water and a sandy bottom so with our large anchor and 25 metres of chain we were completely secure.  There were a few yachts coming and going but we stayed put, swam three times a day and went ashore in the dinghy for provisions and meals.  It was very lazy, so pleasant not to be constantly on the move.  Terry had the best restaurant meal of the trip at the Italian Restaurant attached to the Yacht Club, a recommendation from Ann Kihlbom and Alan Muir, who have lived in Santa Ponsa for many years and entertained us royally in their home on our last night there.

Ann and Alan

They have been a constant support with all things local since our arrival last May.

A final Mallorcan sunset.

Having a water maker makes us completely independent of the shore and the only constraints are the requirement for fresh bread and the size of the holding tanks!

The final sail back from Santa Ponsa.

We returned to Palma on Thursday and were lucky enough to get about half an hour of good wind so that we could sail across Palma Bay.  One of the features of this season has been the light winds, which for some reason always seem to be coming from dead ahead or right behind. Exotica, despite having innumerable merits, only sails really well with the wind on the beam.  It may be necessary to buy a large light headsail for ghosting downwind next year.

Putting out the fenders as we enter Palma Harbour for the final time.

Once back in our berth at Real Club Nautico we forced ourselves into cleaning and clearing up mode.  A lot of work has to be done before we fly out on Saturday morning,first to England and then to Canada for two weeks to see son Edward.

Plans for next year are still being considered.  We will return to Palma in early May and then take off from the Balearics for good, probably for the south of France, then Corsica, Sardinia and the west coast of Italy.  Till then http://www.clarkesailing.com will, temporarily we hope, close down.